PRO'S POINTER - TRY BRAID ON TOP
- by Jamie Cyphers
If you haven't tried braided line yet for top waters you might
be missing the boat. While it is widely known that
frog fisherman use braid around heavy matted cover, not much has been said
about braid for open water applications like working a Spook or Sammy. Let
me tell you a couple of reasons why even on the clearest lakes I use 30lb.
plus
braids like Power Pro or Tuff Line or Stren Super Braid.
First off it seems most of my topwaters get bashed during the
first third of my retrieve, quite a distance from the
boat. With its no stretch properties braid allow me to get a solid hook set
and I lose way less fish.
Second braids float. This may be one of the most important factors.
When fishing a Spook with fluorocarbon or mono the
bait always wants to follow the line and dive into the water. But by using
braided line this is not a factor. The
bait will follow its true path, with half the effort. This is a huge benefit
when prefishing and competing in late
summer and fall, I may literally throw a top water all day for a week straight.
Third instead of having the line sink into the water column,
it stays on top and out of sight. Savvy fly anglers have
known this for years. Braid allows the fish to rise to the bait, without the
line intruding into its comfort zone.
Last but not least brute strength in a small diameter. Huge
factor. Have you ever thrown that brand new fifteen dollar
lure out and been totally bulldogged and broken off by a big fish? With 30
lb. test, I can have full confidence that
I won't go home with a broken heart, because of broken line.
See you next time in the "black and white" or better
yet on
the water.
Look for other articles in our Article Archives